Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Month: August 2017

After writing about highlights for the week, I decided to go back to writing about each workout. I wanted to read about a previous workout but I didn’t write about it. This has inspired me to document all the workouts like my previous posts. I’m going to skip over the previous weeks since I only went once. If you want to see my workout week, check out my Beyond the Whiteboard profile.

Monday

Overhead Squat – 6×2 at 80% (185 lb.)

Lately, my hips have been feeling really tight. I haven’t been doing much mobility at home or after class and I think it is catching up to me. I took a long time warming up my legs and hips but I felt a lot better after. 135 lb. and 155 lb. felt heavy but at least my legs were holding up. I was able to keep a good form. At 185 lb. it started to get tough. My first set was not strong. After finishing two reps, I wanted to drop the weight to 175 lb. but I decided against it. I did a few quick mobility drills and did my second set. This set felt a lot better than the first and I went through it quickly with good form. I felt a bit shaky but it was not too bad. I was only able to complete four sets before time ran out.

WOD

CFG Open 11.4 – AMRAP 10 Minutes

60 burpees over bar
30 overhead squats (120 lb.)
10 muscle ups

This was my first time doing this workout. Immediately, I knew the burpess were going to be difficult. I’m still slow when it comes to burpees. The 120 lb. overhead squat would not have been too heavy but I was not that confident. I was predicting maybe two to five muscle ups.

The workout started and I tried to find a rhythm. It was smooth for the first thirty reps but I started to feel winded. I started slowing down on each rep but I kept going and pushed through. I was exhausted but I was able to start the overhead squats. I snatched the weight and started to do five reps. In hindsight, I should have cleaned and set up for the overhead squat from the back. My wrist was giving me problems and I could only do a few reps at a time. At time cap, I only finished 20 reps.

Friday

Partner WOD – AMRAP, 16 Miniutes

20 handstand push ups
30 box jumps
400 m row

I walked into the box at 1645 and decided to start some mobility drills as I waited for the 1730 class to start. While warming up, my father calls me over to his overhead squat stations and asks me to be his partner for the workout. Working out with my dad is always fun so I agreed and started warming up for the workout. I would do the overhead squats at the beginning of the next class.

We decided to split the reps in half. 10 handstand push ups, 15 box jumps and 200m on the rower. Our goal for this workout was to finish four rounds. Dad was a little skeptical that we would finish and I wasn’t sure if I could keep the pace. Regardless, I was going to do my best.

Not doing the overhead squats helped me get through this workout. My shoulders and legs were not tired going into it. I was able to do the handstand push ups and box jumps unbroken. Also, I was able to keep a 1:40 /500m pace on the rower. My dad was also able to go unbroken on his reps. We pushed hard and finished 4 + 25 reps at the time cap.

After the workout, I did not have the energy to complete the overhead squats. Also, my hips were a bit tight so I decided to take a rest.

Deliverer Sunburst Crew (Finished)

After months of sitting on the shelf, I finally finished painting the Sunburst crew. I still have to do some touch ups on the metals but I’m happy with it overall. I finished the unit in time for EpixCon! Check out the pictures below.

Limitless Fails Gaming Group at EpixCon 2017

The people at EpixCon 2017 have approved our exhibitor application for this years EpixCon. It has only been four months since NeoCon 2017 but we are excited to have a space to display and demo some games.

Game Demos

Warmachine
Guild Ball
Gundam Skirmish
Infinity

We will be holding a demo of these games at different times during the convention.

Miniature Displays

We will have displays of Warmachine/Hordes some Warhammer 40,000 and some other small games.

Painting Display

We will also have someone doing some miniature painting.

If you’re going to attend this convention, check out our booth. Feel free to ask us any questions.

Japan 2017: Osaka

Visiting Japan during cherry blossom season was one of our vacation goals. We have traveled to Tokyo and wanted to visit another part of Japan with Osaka at the top of the list. Osaka is also close to other cities we wanted to visit, Kyoto and Nara. We stayed in Osaka for six days but we could have easily stayed another week.

Cell Phones

I purchased a SIM for my wife’s phone at the arrivals terminal of Kansai Airport. Look for a large sign that says SIM on it or ask the information desk. The SIM card was¥5,000 for 2GB of data and unlimited local calls. It was a bit expensive but we needed a way to contact our AirBnb host in the event we needed something. Thankfully, our AirBnb booking came with a portable WiFi.

Transportation

We purchased two ICOCA and Haruka bundles from the JR office in the airport. The total cost was ¥8,400. The ICOCA cards come pre-loaded with ¥1500 with a ¥500 deposit. These are the tap and go cards for the subway and JR rail stations. The Haruka ticket was a round trip ticket to the city. You can stop at Tennoji station or Shin-Osaka station. If you have an ICOCA card, you can buy the Haruka pass into the city for ¥2,200. We only used the rail systems while in the city.

Accomodations

We stayed in Ashihara at this AirBnB. I was a bit disappointed with the location since it was outside of the “blue circle” on the neighborhood section of AirBnB. We wanted to stay closer to the subway or closer to Namba station. We didn’t want to cancel, so we made it work. We definitely got our steps in.

The Fun Stuff

I did not take a lot of pictures because I was using my GoPro. A lot of video was shot using the GoPro and will be compiled into a video at a later date.

Osaka Aquarium

The Osaka aquarium was amazing. It houses many different animals ranging from dolphins, penguins, whale sharks, otters and other aquatic animals. The aquarium is laid out like a screw. An escalator takes you to the entrance, a few floors up and you walk down looking at exhibits. The outer walls have various exhibits from different parts of the world while the center exhibit houses the main tank. The main tank houses a few species of sharks including whale sharks, a few species of rays, and a few species of fish. This was the first time I’ve seen whale sharks in person and they were amazing to behold. Overall, this is one of the best aquariums I have visited.

Kemasakuranomiya Park

My wife suggested this park for our cherry blossom viewing. She read about it in a few blogs and heard about it from friends who have visited previously. The park was huge and we walked about 1.5 kilometers taking pictures and videos along the way. It was overcast but the trees looked beautiful.

Shrines

Osaka has a lot of shrines and temples. It seems like every few blocks we would see one. We observed a few rituals, especially the flinging of water on Buddhist statues.

Food

Japanese cuisine, awesome. Japanese pancakes, awesome. Japanese versions of western food, awesome. I didn’t have a bad meal in Osaka.

We checked out CrossFit Hommachi A+ and CrossFit Minami while in Osaka. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures while inside A+ and CF Minami was closed for a private class. A+ has a few rules if you want to drop it. All tattoos must be covered or they will not let you workout. It’s a Japanese custom since tattoos are associated with the Yakuza (Japanese crime group/gang). Also, dropping weights are not allowed. The coach at CF Minami however said dropping weights is allowed in his gym. We didn’t get to drop in but we did purchase a few shirts.

Iconoclasm was on my list of stores to visit in Nipponbashi Denden Town, the anime/toy district. The front of the building has a small Warhammer 40k diorama which was a great eye catcher. The shop is not large but it is packed full of wargaming stuff. The main games featured were Warhammer 40k and Warmachine/Hordes.

Universal Studios Japan

My wife and I love visiting theme parks, especially American ones in foreign countries. We look for different foods in concession stands and if rides have changed. The main draw for us was the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The lines were not too long and each ride was worth it. This was another great Japanese theme park experience.

Nishinomaru Garden

Nishinomaru Garden is located west of Osaka castle. Entrance into this garden is not free, we payed ¥350 per person. The garden has a large lawn, a large number of cherry blossom trees and great views of Osaka castle. We did not explore most of the north end of the garden but we did stay until evening. At night, the garden lights up with some spotlights on the cherry blossom trees and other lights lining the paths. If you’re willing to pay the entrance fee, this is a great spot to hang out and enjoy the cherry blossoms.

Thoughts on Osaka

Japan is a great country to visit. The people are friendly and polite, the streets are clean and the food is delicious. Walking through the different alleys and busy streets, I noticed a difference between Osaka and Tokyo, the vibe. It’s not as fast paced and people are not rushing. Everyone is relaxed, laid back and enjoying life. I can see the appeal of visiting during cherry blossom season. Enjoying the outdoors and appreciating nature is not something most of us do, it’s refreshing.

We did a lot more stuff in Nara and Kyoto but that’s for a different post. I was not able to list everything we did but we had a great time. We met up with a few friends and enjoyed the city together. I’m not sure where we are going to next, maybe the Philippines or Korea. Look out for the video.

Deliverer Sunburst Crew

The last unit I painted was the Temple Flameguard which I completed almost TWO YEARS AGO! I have been lazy in assembling and painting units but it’s based on need. The DSC and some artillery have gotten better and I’m definitely taking advantage of that unit. With the nerfing of some of the Protectorate guns like the Reckoner, Errants and Zealots, I needed to fill my lists with a hard hitting unit. I picked up the unit on Ebay for a fairly cheap price and have primed them. They are ready to paint! Check out the primed photos below and check back next week for some finished pictures of the unit.

Strength

Deadlift – Find 1 Rep Max

I was not confident going into this 1RM lift. I had to scale my weights during the cycle and couldn’t reach anything over 90% of my 1RM. Regardless, I was going to attempt something. Over 95% of my 1RM or a new 1RM was going to be my goal.

I warmed up to 365 lb. and started to add on 20 lb. each jump. I was able to lift 385 lb. and went up to 405 lb. This lift was about 98% of my current 1RM. My back was straight and my form look good. I decided to go up to 420 lb. to attempt a new 1RM. I gripped the barbell and pulled. The bar started coming up about two inches then I dropped it. I felt my core weaken and my back start to round slightly. I didn’t want to continue and risk losing form. I reached a goal, hitting 98% of my 1RM. If I did more deadlifts during the cycle, I probably could have hit a new PR.

WOD

Jackie

Row (1000 m)
50 thrusters
30 pull ups

The last time I did Jackie it was over two years ago. My previous time was 10:53 and my new goal was to finished under 10 minutes. Pull ups were going to be the hardest movement to get through. I can handle the thrusters but the pull ups were going to be rough. The row was not bad. I kept a pace of 1:40-1:50 per 500m, which took me about four minutes to finish. The I thought the thrusters were going to be easier but it was a grind. I did 15 reps and then stopped. I rested for a few second and picked up the bar. Towards the end of the thrusters I was doing about 5-10 reps.

The pull ups were my weakest movement. I was not able to string more than five reps together and towards the end was only doing two or three reps at a time. I’m not sure how long I took to do the thrusters and pull ups but I finished at 10:48. I didn’t know this was a PR until I entered it into BTWB. I was 48 seconds faster this time around. I thought I went over my previous time and this surprise made me feel better about the workout. Small victories.

Thyra, Flame of Sorrow (Finished)

Thyra, is a Daughters of the Flame warcaster. Daughters, are the Protectorate’s assassins/ninjas. They are quick and stealthy which made me paint her a dark color. I tried a different technique on the face which came out better than expected but the eyes are off a bit. I didn’t like the highlights on the cloth, and will need to practice more two brush blending or layering. I also didn’t like the way the metals came out. I need to work on highlighting and washing.

Overall, I loved painting this model. It pushed me to do better and try new techniques. It didn’t come out the way I wanted it to, but I had a great time. I need to watch and read more tutorials and try it out on more minis. Thanks for reading and check out the minis below.